We often hear the phrase “children are our future,” but what we should be saying is “children are our present, leading the way to the future!” No one represents this idea more than Gitanjali Rao, an 11-year-old from Lone Tree, Colorado, who earned her “America’s Top Young Scientist” title by winning the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Her device, called Tethys: The Water Lead Contamination Detector, is named after Tethys the Greek Titaness of freshwater. It uses carbon nanotubes to screen water and detect lead levels that can be reported on a mobile app. The ten challenge finalists spent…
Author: Susan Janowsky
Susan Janowsky
Susan Janowsky is a Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots intern and current senior at Tufts University studying Art History and Anthropology with a focus on Human-Animal Interaction. On campus she is involved in Tufts Animal Welfare, Hillel, and Ski Team. Her passion for animals and conservation has led her to where she is today. Susan has been on an archeological dig in Belize, worked with camels in New York, and has a very handsome labradoodle, Pepper.
Through her humanitarian work with Haiti Sees, a nonprofit that provides free optic clinics in Haiti and a number of other countries, Morgan Pitman has made her mark in Abu Dhabi, Haiti, Alabama, and beyond. Morgan’s love for her fellow humans has propelled her toward international service from a very young age — her global thinking allows her to have an incredible impact beyond her immediate community. As a member of the Roots & Shoots U.S. Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA (RSYC), Morgan receives support, leadership training and guidance from the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots staff. Morgan…
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Alabama native, Stewart Massey is an incredible innovator who makes art out of recycled objects and sells his masterpieces (magnets, ornaments, bookmarks, and more) to raise money for those in need. ‘ReWorkz’ unites Stewart’s passions for fighting climate change, making art, and helping the homeless in his community. Stewart has been a member of the Roots & Shoots U.S. Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA (RSYC) since 2015. With support from the Jane Goodall Institute, members of the RSYC, including Stewart, receive leadership training and guidance from Roots & Shoots staff, which they then share with hundreds of thousands of…
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Eli is a proud Mexican-American, an aspiring entrepreneur, and a first-generation U.S. citizen and college attendee. Since 2012, she has been providing tax assistance to low-income families at no cost. Anyone who talks to Eli can tell that there is no limit to how much she can accomplish when she sets her mind to something. Eli, a member of the Roots & Shoots U.S. Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA (RSYC), is currently in her first year at Long Island University Post. With support from the Jane Goodall Institute,, members of the RSYC, including Eli, receive leadership training and guidance…
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Not many 18-year-olds can say they’ve managed a soup kitchen, but for Nathan, that’s just one of the ways he’s taken action against homelessness and poverty in his community. Beyond taking steps like organizing food drives and free art classes in the Los Angeles area, Nathan and his parents recently opened their hearts and home to a homeless family of complete strangers for six months. Compassionate response is a way of life for Nathan who is in his third year on the Roots & Shoots U.S. Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA (RSYC). Nathan is now a freshman at Santa…
